Storm On The Island Flashcards
‘We are prepared’
-Collective pronoun, ‘We’, shows power in numbers; links to CONTEXT regarding the political battle.
-DECLARARTIVE statement shows that they’re trying to resist nature - has a sense of arrogance/confidence; demonstrates security within their plans regarding the storm; also constructs a sense of familiarity ( not the first time this has happened ).
-‘Prepared’ connotes the idea of reinforcement; they know that nature is powerful but nonetheless still demonstrate a hubristic characteristic.
-CONSCIOUS CHOICE to stay and NOT FLEE.
‘Spits like a tame cat turned savage’
-‘Spits’; violent verb, connotes aggression//force.
-Simile is utilised; demonstrates nature taking over and enduring control over mankind.
-OXYMORON is utilised, ‘savage’ implies a destructive intent - there is no remorse or control. By using a ‘cat’ (ANIMALISTIC IMAGERY) it connotes the idea of comfort and home-like; a ‘tame’ cat is domesticated. The ideas of ‘savage’ and ‘tame’ show both sides of nature.
-‘Turned’ implies nature has a different intent now; storm is rising and taking control - perhaps, its been provoked to ‘turn savage’.
-ENJAMBMENT depicts sudden action ; storm has the ability to be unpredictable.
FORM of SOTI
Unbroken stanza of 19 lines - power of nature and unrelenting storm.
Iambic pentameter; constant rhythm; conversational tone. However the regularity may create apprehension.
Structure of SOTI
Enjambment perhaps represents the breathlessness of the speaker as they are panicking as the storm is approaching.
Cyclical structure ; resilience of the islanders.
Context of SOTI
Allegory for the political conflict in Northern Ireland in the 1960’s onwards.
Perhaps, Heaney is giving the message that to combat a force exerted by nature or by politics, humanity needs to come together as a ‘collective’ in order to survive.
